Join us for this episode of Law Talks, with Callum Reid-Hutchings, who is a Barrister at Gatehouse Chambers, working in commercial litigation, insolvency and company law, construction disputes, employment law, and defamation matters. Callum describes a varied career path from early non-legal jobs to university, the bar course, commercial litigation paralegal work and a judicial assistant role, until ultimately securing pupillage and tenancy at Gatehouse Chambers.

He explains discovering the Bar later, preferring courtroom advocacy and self-employment over becoming a solicitor, and focusing on commercial work after exploring other practice areas. Callum outlines what he learned from his paralegal and judicial assistant roles about litigation realities and what persuades or annoys judges, and emphasises transferable skills from non-legal work and competitive sports. He shares advice on selecting chambers, interview preparation, and managing applications efficiently, and discusses building a practice through availability, strong solicitor relationships, and resilience.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:08 Career Journey So Far

02:26 Choosing the Bar

04:19 Barrister vs Solicitor

05:20 Paralegal Life in Litigation

08:01 Finding Your Practice Area

10:38 Judicial Assistant Insights

13:44 Transferable Skills Beyond Law

17:24 Picking Chambers and Bouncing Back

21:27 Interview Preparation Tips

24:48 Application Challenges and Strategy

27:54 Inside Pupillage Year

31:52 Building a Tenant Practice

34:58 Final Advice and Wrap Up

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

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In this episode of Law Talks, Priya Greig, a practice manager and barrister’s clerk at Twenty Essex Chambers, describes her career path from paralegal to junior clerk and progression through assistant practice manager roles.

She explains the clerking recruitment process, typical duties such as fee negotiation, diary management, court listings, and business development, and highlights the job’s variety and strong focus on networking, including hosting and attending events. Priya discusses how chamber structures vary, the importance of building personal working relationships with barristers to tailor workloads, and notes that clerking remains largely paper-based.

She outlines career progression and earning potential, movement between practice areas, and opportunities for international travel through arbitration work. Priya also shares her involvement with the Female Fraud Forum and offers advice for aspiring clerks and barristers on networking, shadowing, and mini-pupillages.

00:00 Career Journey and Getting Into Clerking

04:51 Week in the Role

08:00 Working With Barristers

10:54 Earnings and Growth

13:54 Advice for New Juniors

17:40 International Travel Opportunities

18:26 Female Fraud Forum

20:15 Outside Initiatives

21:30 Applying for Clerking

23:08 Clerking Before Pupillage

Recruitment agencies contacts:

Priya Greig

Matt Curness, GRL

Elliott Rogers, Briefed

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

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Join me for this episode with Elizabeth Huang, an associate in Slaughter and May’s Competition and Regulatory team, who discusses her path from studying law and completing the BCL (focused on law, technology, and society) to joining the firm as a trainee in 2021 and qualifying into the Competition group in 2023.

She shares advice for vacation schemes and training contract applicants, emphasising seeking university careers support, prioritising quality over quantity, tailoring applications, and giving personal, genuine reasons for “why law” and “why this firm.” Elizabeth explains Slaughter and May’s multi-specialist approach, her varied training contract seats (including a secondment to the firm’s Hong Kong office), and how seat changes build skills.

She outlines competition work across merger control, antitrust/behavioural matters, and the emerging field of digital regulation, describing the work lawyers do in advising clients on regulator-facing strategy, investigations, and compliance.

She addresses work-life balance realities, noting it can get easier after qualification, and highlights a major project advising a big tech company in the UK’s first investigation under the new digital markets regime.

00:12 Legal Career Journey and Choosing the BCL

04:07 Vacation Scheme Advice

07:33 Why Slaughter and May

10:10 Vacation vs Training Contract

11:41 Training Seats Explained

17:16 Competition Law Overview

22:54 Why Competition and Project Variety

25:50 Client Relationships Over Time

27:46 Work Life Balance Reality

32:18 Memorable Digital Markets Case

35:27 What Prepared Me Most

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me for this episode of Law Talks with Khatija Hafesji, a barrister at Monckton Chambers. Khatija describes moving from studying history into legal practice, finding her passion via advocacy for children in care, using the Children Act 1989 and judicial review to challenge unlawful local authority decisions.

She explains why she pursued a mixed practice spanning public, competition, procurement, and information law and describes her role as editor-in-chief of the Human Rights Law Reports. In an International Women’s Day context, she discusses the Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2026, her pro bono work with the Centre for Women’s Justice on data protection issues, and reflects on what public law reveals about women’s lives, finally explaining her trustee role at the Public Law Project and how aspiring barristers can get involved and prepare for the Bar.

01:32 Discovering Law in Care Work

04:04 Building a Mixed Practice

06:07 Choosing Practice Balance

07:45 Editing Human Rights Reports

10:48 Women and Diversity Awards

14:17 Centre for Women's Justice Panel

16:23 Law Reform for Mothers

18:59 Women's Lives Through Public Law

24:52 Trustee at Public Law Project

29:12 Advice for Aspiring Barristers

Links to content mentioned in the episode:

Human Rights Law Reports

Women & Diversity in Law Awards 2026

Centre of Women’s Justice

Public Law Project

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Want to feature on Law Talks? We're always happy to hear from legal professionals keen to share their insights and experiences with our listeners.Contact us.

Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Navigating Pupillage and Tenancy: Insights from Charlie Coverman at Monckton Chambers

Join me on this episode of Law Talks as we sit down with Charlie Coverman, a new tenant at Monckton Chambers. Charlie shares his journey from obtaining a degree in History and Politics to pursuing a legal career and securing his pupillage. He delves into the rigorous pupillage application process, his motivations for choosing Monckton Chambers, and his experiences throughout the pupillage. The discussion also covers the transition from pupil to tenant, the breadth of competition law practice, and valuable advice for aspiring barristers. Tune in for an informative and candid conversation about the challenges and rewards of starting a legal career at the bar.

00:00 Introduction and Career Overview

00:41 Deciding to Become a Barrister

01:58 Applying for Pupillage

03:17 Choosing Monckton Chambers

04:41 Pupillage Experience at Monckton Chambers

06:36 Starting Pupillage: Challenges and Advice

09:33 Transition from Pupil to Tenant

15:51 Practicing Competition Law

22:44 Building a Broad Practice

25:56 Final Reflections and Advice

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for an insightful episode of Law Talks featuring Charlotte McLean, who shares her journey from studying classics to becoming a tenant at Monckton Chambers. Charlotte discusses her diverse career experiences, ranging from journalism to working in the charitable sector, and how these influenced her decision to pursue law. She provides valuable advice on applying through the Pupillage Gateway, preparing for interviews, and gaining both written and oral advocacy experience. Charlotte also emphasises the importance of pursuing a job you enjoy and not putting your life on hold while applying for pupillage.

00:00 Introduction and Career Overview

02:18 Current Practice Areas

03:35 Transition from Solicitor to Barrister

07:37 Applying Through the Pupillage Gateway

15:23 Advocacy Experience and Tips

19:04 Pupillage Interviews: Preparation and Experience

23:24 Accepting Pupillage and Initial Adjustments

29:18 Final Advice for Aspiring Barristers

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Want to feature on Law Talks? We're always happy to hear from legal professionals keen to share their insights and experiences with our listeners. Contact us.

Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for an illuminating episode of Law Talks featuring Gary Steel, a solicitor specializing in housing and discrimination litigation at Derbyshire Law Centre. Gary shares his unconventional journey into the legal profession, detailing how he transitioned from an initial interest sparked by a university lecture to becoming a passionate advocate for social welfare law. He discusses the unique challenges he faced along the way, including overcoming bullying and the impact of the cost of living crisis on his clients. Gary offers valuable insights into the realities of working in legal aid, emphasising the need for better remuneration and urging aspiring lawyers to gain diverse work experiences. This episode is a candid exploration of the demands and rewards of a career in housing law, filled with practical advice for those interested in this impactful field.

00:00 Introduction and Career Beginnings

01:30 Discovering a Passion for Housing and Discrimination Law

03:11 Navigating Education and the Open University

05:50 Applying for the Diversity Access Scheme

12:01 Overcoming Challenges and Bullying in the Legal Profession

15:58 A Day in the Life of a Housing Solicitor

24:15 The Impact of Cost of Living on Housing Law

28:41 Reflections and Advice for Aspiring Lawyers

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Want to feature on Law Talks? We're always happy to hear from legal professionals keen to share their insights and experiences with our listeners.Contact us.

Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for an insightful episode of Law Talks featuring Chloe Marie Bloor, a paralegal who shares her unconventional journey into the legal profession. Chloe discusses her start at the Open University, her volunteer work at a law centre, and her transition into a paralegal role in homelessness prevention. She provides invaluable advice for aspiring paralegals, emphasizing the importance of work experience, volunteering, and persistence in job applications. Chloe also offers a detailed look at the day-to-day tasks of a paralegal and the challenges and rewards of working in social welfare law. This episode is a must-listen for anyone considering a career as a paralegal.

00:00 Introduction and Guest's Unconventional Legal Journey

01:49 Volunteering at the Law Center

02:54 Pathway to Becoming a Paralegal

03:47 Work Experience and Volunteering Opportunities

06:34 Role and Responsibilities of a Paralegal

09:34 Challenges and Advice for Aspiring Paralegals

12:32 Applying for Paralegal Positions

22:40 Interest in Social Welfare Law and Legal Aid

30:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This episode is sponsored by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency that services some of the biggest brands in law.

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Want to feature on Law Talks? We're always happy to hear from legal professionals keen to share their insights and experiences with our listeners. Contact us.

Our intro music is adapted from 'Sprightly' by GarageBand Apple Loop and 'Sprightly Remix' by Adamo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.